


Clarity

by elwynclark



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Music, DJ - Freeform, EDM - Freeform, F/M, Music Creation, Musicians, Resistance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-09
Updated: 2019-08-09
Packaged: 2020-08-13 12:21:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20174176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elwynclark/pseuds/elwynclark
Summary: A fresh-faced DJ from nothing turns the EDM world upside down when she accidentally collabs with the biggest DJ of this millenium. She just wants to make music and he just wants to feel alive.His music- Heavy dubstep, bass, & rock EDMHer music- Emotron & top40/Voicepowered  EDMAn EDM DJ AU for the Star Wars sequel trilogy.





	Clarity

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is heavily music influenced. I'll list out any real songs referenced within chapters here! Any songs that they are 'creating' or 'collaborating' on are most likely a real song that just happened to work out perfectly here. 
> 
> Lovingly titled from one of my all time favorite EDM songs, which is lowkey an anthem for this fic- "Clarity" by Zedd feat. Foxes ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxxstCcJlsc )
> 
> Rated mature for language and possible eventual misc content

“Audio 2, that’s the problem.” She muttered and temporarily muted all other layers in her editing software. Starting from the beginning she sat back in her seat and pressed play again. Just the isolated voice track echoed in her headphones this time. 

I had a dream last night. A vision. I saw a world full of people. Everybody was dancing and screaming loud. They were just there to listen to the music. Some even had their eyes closed. Everybody was just smiling. 

She looked away from her laptop and up at the ceiling. Closing her eyes to just listen to this as well. 

When I woke up, I realized, I want to be in that moment! The very essence of my existence is looking for that emotion. And when the weekend comes, I live for that energy. 

She tapped the space bar at that to pause it and looked back down at the screen. Scrolled back to the beginning then back where she paused and turned the other audio layers back on. 

A slow build up from the voice track started when she hit play again. She had found this audio clip from the files of an old interview with from a few different DJs she admired. One thing she was really good at, scavenging random audio bits that were unexpected. And finding an uncommon sound and creating a track with it. 

Or as she liked to refer to it as, spending way too much time on youtube and realizing that voices could do so much more than just a simple blah blah, la la la. They could also be the track themselves sometimes. 

Although her own sound was very vocal heavy. There was a lot of emotion behind her music. She didn't always use scavenged clips, most people thought she did just did those mashups. But no. With Rey, she could do so much more than scavenge the internet for a sound byte. She was creating her own sound. 

She clicked save on her file, finally satisfied with it. Did a quick export then looked around the room for the first time in awhile, pulling her headphones down to rest around her neck. She frequented coffee shop a few blocks away from her flat for three reasons- the coffee was fresh as hell, the wifi was free, and there was heat.

One of the baristas had started to refer to her as Rey Rowling, just writing away over there all day long because it was warmer here than in her own flat. Rey didn’t correct her the first time to tell her she was a DJ and not an author. Might be too late now she pondered and took a long sip from her coffee that went cold at least a half hour ago. 

“Hey, Rey? Right?” A girl’s voice asked and Rey turned her head into the direction it came from, still holding onto her mug. 

“Yes?” She asked slowly and saw a slender girl with blonde hair twisted into two small buns on the top of her head approached Rey from the order pick up area. 

“Hi! I’m Connix!” She held her hand out to shake her hand. “Hey, I heard about your music from a friend, and they said you usually come in here to edit.” Rey just nodded, not sure how to respond. “Can I sit down?”

“Sure!” Rey nodded and gestured to the seat across from her with the coffee cup. She closed her laptop quickly then placed the empty mug next to it. “Everyone here thinks I’m a writer, at least, I thought they did.”

“Oh!” Connix laughed a little as she sat. “Because it’s a coffee shop right? And the whole starving artist troupe? I guess music is similar but I’m not so” she stopped herself suddenly and shook her head. “I’m sorry, I go on for awhile.” 

“It’s ok, what’s on your mind?” Rey guided and nodded, smiling back at her. She was more open this time. 

“I’m from Resistance Records. We found a few of your tracks sneaking up the indie charts, but couldn’t find you anywhere. Didn’t even know if you were in London or somewhere else in the world. BB was able to find you one day accidentally.”

“Oh! You know BB!” Rey smiled now remembering her friend. “Yeah, I ran into them one time here, a few times actually. Asked if I made videos or made music.” She lifted her headphones slightly that were hanging around her neck. “Dead giveaway.”

“Nice! Well we, BB and I, we both work at Resistance. They do more of some editing work with one of our producers. I’m an agent. And we’re looking to possibly sign you.” 

“You’re what?” Rey asked, awestruck. 

“Sign you, to our label.” Connix nodded this time. “Now we only have a few selections from you. Would you be willing to send us a demo for further consideration?” 

“Yes, definitely.” Rey opened her laptop again, immediately trying to get files together. The coffee mug went flying off the edge of the table and smashed onto the ground. 

“Rey!” One of the baristas yelled from behind the counter immediately and Rey winced and looked at the shattered mug on the floor. 

“Woah, honey.” Connix leaned down to grab a few pieces off the floor. “Take your time!” 

“Hey, at least there wasn’t anything in it.” Rey muttered and picked up the other big pieces, a pile of shards growing on the table now. The barista was just rounding the corner of the counter with a broom and dustpan. 

“Here.” Connix sat up and eventually took out a business card from her purse, and passed it over to Rey. “Give me a call or an email when you’re ready. It doesn’t have to be spotless and overworked, just has to be you. That’s what we’re looking for.”

“You got it.” Rey nodded and took the business card, holding it with both hands in front of her. 

“We look forward to hearing back from you!” Connix stood up and so did Rey immediately. Causing her laptop to jump on the table and a few of the shards fell off on to the floor. 

“Thank you!” Rey shook her hand and smiled. Connix nodded and walked out of the coffee shop quickly. The bell on the door jingling behind her.

“You’re a DJ?” The barista asked from a few steps away Rey and she just looked at her and couldn’t help but laugh. 

“Yes, I’m a DJ!” She answered back as the barista started to sweep up the smaller pieces of the mug on the floor. 

Rey was ready for this. 

\---

Two weeks later 

\---

“Name?” The security guard asked as he peered down over his clipboard at her. She had opted for a snapback hat tonight and her usual flannel and jeans. She brought a change of clothes with her but was unsure what to really bring for a performance. 

“Baker. Rey Baker” She nodded and he looked at her again then back at the clipboard. 

“Baker.” He mumbled back and eventually moved his finger down the list to find her on there. “All set, Ms. Baker. Welcome to nIIma outpost.” He turned to open the stage entrance for her and held the door open. 

“Thank you.” She passed through the door and it lead into a hallway going just one direction. She followed it to a two way split, with a sign that said - 

Stage - Right  
GreenRoom- LEft

She looked both ways and hesitated, knowing she should probably be going to a greenroom before the show, but took a step right instead and went down the hallway. A few other dressing rooms were down this hallway, some with closed doors, some cracked open slightly, other completely open but the lights out. She wondered if she could just take any of them that were open? Or was she assigned one? It was all new to her.

“Hey, you!” A guy called from one of the dressing rooms as she passed by one of the doors half open. “Hey!” 

Rey stopped in her tracks, and grabbed one of the straps of her backpack and took a few steps back. Pausing outside the door the voice had come from and opened it slowly. She stood in the open doorway trying to find this voice. 

“What’s going on?” She asked as she observed just the long legs of the owner of that voice. He was half under the counter of the sink. Water was all over the floor and soaking through his already dark t-shirt. Off the bat, should could tell three things about him, he was American, he was tall, and broader than a tree. 

“Look I just need that piece over on the table. I thought I would have been able to reach it but, things happen.” He carried on and Rey saw his hand point at a plumbing fixture left just out of arm’s reach for him. She picked it up quickly to place it in his hand. 

“You didn’t answer me, what happened?” She asked and knelt down by him as well to look under the sink. 

“I broke the goddamn sink, that’s what happened!” He called back and held out his hand again. “Can you, pass the wrench behind you?” She looked down and found it by her other side now, and handed it to him. 

“Look, you don’t just go ripping the pipes out of a sink unless you’re looking for something.” She started and he scoffed then the wrench clattered against the pipes. “What’d you drop down the sink?”

“I didn’t drop anything down the sink!” He jumped down her throat immediately and she rolled her eyes. 

“Sure, of course not. Because you’re definitely a licensed plumber who’s here to fix all of the sinks in the dressing rooms today.” She half taunted and he pushed himself out from under the sink counter and slammed the cabinet doors shut. He had dark wavy hair and darker eyes that stared at her once the doors were closed. 

“You’re new.” He said after a moment and she shrugged. 

“It’s that obvious, isn’t it?” She asked and stood up, brushing off excess water from her knees. Then held her hand out to help him up. 

“I’m, Ben.” He introduced himself as he took her hand to stand up. 

“Rey!” She introduced herself back and shook his hand. 

“Thank you, Rey.” He nodded then gestured back at the sink once they let go. “I, didn’t want to bother maintenance.”

“You’ll need to do something about this mess though.” She said and put her hands on her hips looking at the small flood on the floor. 

“I’m sorry I should have asked sooner, are you one of the openers tonight?” He asked, totally side stepping over the water on the floor and packing up a few other small objects into a travel bag. 

“Yep, it’s my first show.” She answered and smiled.

“Ever?”

“Well, in front of a crowd yeah.” She shrugged and thought for a moment. “I presented a demo at Resistance Records last week and they set me up with this gig immediately. I’m pretty keen to do an actual show.” 

“Welcome to the show then.” He nodded and picked up the bag he was packing. “I’m going to find a new dressing room, since I flooded this one.” 

“You got that ring back?” She asked and gestured vaguely to his hand that was reaching to pick up a guitar case. 

“Yeah, thank God there was a wrench under the cabinet. I pulled the entire-Wait” he stopped short and looked back at her, waving the guitar case at her. “No one, knows about this. Got it?” 

“Alright alright, no one!” She half laughed as he tried to wave her out of the room with the case. 

“You might be opening for me, and totally saved my lucky charm, but no one needs to know that, got it?” 

“You’re S0l0?” She asked and he nodded. “When they said the show was for you, I honestly almost shit my pants I was so excited. Like you’re massively underrated and more people need to listen to your shit! Like, it’s so powerful? And you’re just breaking into indies? How, are you not on tour with Marshmello or even Kylo right now?” 

He stared at her, processing everything she just said to him. She was a fan first, musician second. Or maybe, musician first fan second? Since she’d never performed before. He couldn’t decide. He shouldered the bag he was carrying and leaned the guitar case against the doorframe, and had already managed to get them both into the hallway during her praises. 

“Maybe I don’t want that kind of attention? I’m happy with what I have.” He shrugged and she shook her head. He started walking down the hall to another dressing room. They moved at a snail’s pace down the hallway. 

“No you deserve more than that, come on, every track you released in 2016 literally got me into producing my own music. Not just mashups, but my own.”

“How so?”

“It’s emotion driven. It’s real. Sure it’s EDM, but it’s more. That’s the music I want to make.” 

“Then, get to work Rey from, down the hall.” He pointed down to the other dressing rooms. “Break a leg tonight. They’ll come get you when it’s show time.” He flipped the lights on in the new dressing room, then stepped in slamming the door shut behind him.

**Author's Note:**

> Songs referenced-  
Rey's mix- "I Live For That Energy" - Armin Van Buuren https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wljacnNdbbk  
S0l0's 2016 inspiration for Rey- "Sansa" - Gareth Emery https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvONq9ZhP3U


End file.
